A shadow box is a display carton with a rectangular frame that a viewer may look into to see a displayed product. For most products, a carton encloses the whole product, shielding the product from damage, but also hiding the product from view. To inform customers as to the nature of the actual product a widow may be formed in the carton. A clear window covering may offer insufficient protection for the exposed product, as for example, where glass product is displayed, and contact between adjacent packages may cause one glass item to strike a second glass item resulting in fracture of the product. The shadow box over comes these deficiencies by providing a surrounding frame that projects from the window area. Unlike a picture frame, where a rectangular frame extends in a plane around the picture, the frame of a shadow box projects perpendicular to the front plane of the displayed product. The projecting frame then acts as a standoff, warding off objects that might impact the window area, and injuring the displayed object.
Shadow box cartons are known in the art, and in particular are known to be used in packing automobile headlamps. An example may be seen in U.S. Pat. 4,345,687 issued to Thomas L. Davidson for a Collapsible Headlight Carton and Blank for Making the Same. The known method of forming a shadow box carton for automobile headlamps is to fold a tube structure coaxial with the lamp axis. A flap extending from the front end of the tube includes a window and frame structure which is folded over and into the end of the tube structure. Flaps from the remaining tube walls are then folded over and into the tube end to position and support the window and frame structure. In effect, the end of the tube conveniently forms the extended rim of the shadow box. The flaps may be glued to the frame edge or captured by tabs. The opposite end of the tube is sealed by folding flaps over the exposed rear of the head light. To keep the headlamp from shifting, a strap, or similar pinning structure may be built across the inner surfaces of the tube to restrict headlamp motion. A window may also be build in the rear covering flaps, so a consumer may view the connectors on the back of the headlamp.
The existing design for a shadow box carton is not fully satisfactory. The folded flaps around the window panel rarely seal cleanly with the window frame. The edges and joints framing the product display window are open, and even though sealed may have an irregular or messy look. There then exists a need for a shadow box carton having a viewing face uncluttered by flaps, and flap edges.
More importantly, the existing design is mechanically weak. The current designs form the display window, or windows in the weak section of a carton, the closure. The tube structure covered with windows at each end, is inherently weak. The tube naturally collapses across the tube axis, where the weaker window panel is positioned. The contained mass naturally slides along the tube axis to be stopped by the tube end, the weaker window panel. The weaker window panel is also only sealed around three sides and not continuous with adjacent tube walls. The mass of an automobile headlight in combination with normal shipping and customer examination motions can generate sufficient force to break down the seals around a window panel. Furthermore, the leading edge of the shadow box is expected to sustain blows in the usual course of packing, shipping and display. In the known designs, the leading edge of the shadow box is adjacent the carton seal, and the associated seal seams, and flaps. Blows to the leading edge distort the adjacent flaps and seals, and the seal tends to pop open. The breakdown of the carton seal can then result in the headlight falling free. There is then a need for a shadow box carton wherein the shadow frame securely holds the enclosed product, and blows to the leading edge do not tend to open the carton.